Shoe-fastening.



No. 773,719. PATENTED NUV. 1, 1904.

- E. M. DIGKSON.

SHOE FASTENING.

'APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

Snow 1450's: .Fahmrd777J Elba/14 Patented November 1, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

EDWVARD MILTON DICKSON, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,719, dated November1, 1904. Application filed May 6, 1904. Serial No. 206,701. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD MILTON DICK- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShoe-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in shoe-fastenings, and moreparticularly to fastenings for heavy shoes intended for use in thecountry; and its object is to provide a shoe which can be more easilyand quickly fastened or unfastened than the shoes now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastening-strip whichwill constitute a shield or protector for the foot of the wearer whenwalking through heavy underbrush, &c.

In the drawings, wherein a preferableembodiment of myinvention is shownand wherein like letters of reference refer to similar parts in theseveral views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe provided with myimproved fastening. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe with thefastening-strip removed, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of thefastening-strip.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A is a shoe providedwith the usual slit B in the front thereof. Secured along both sides ofthe slit B and extending its entire length are a plurality of resilientheads 6.

C is the fastening-strip used with the shoe. It is formed preferably ofthe same material as the shoe-upper and is substantially of the samelength as the slit B in the shoe-upper. The strip C is formed with alower portion 0, of a width just wide enough to cover the slit B, and awide upper portion C. Secured in and extending along the medial portionof the strip 0 are two rows of spring-sockets 0 Which are arranged tocooperate with the resilent heads Z), secured along the sides of theslit B. To fasten the shoe, it is only necessary to place the strip Cover the slit B in the shoe and press the sockets in the strip intoengagement with the corresponding heads on the shoe. l/Vhen the striphas been secured to the shoe, it will be seen that upper wide portion Cof the fastening-strip will, extend for some distance around the foot ofthe wearer and form a protector or shield for the ankles and upperportions of the feet, which will be particularly useful when travelingthrough a country in which there is a great deal of heavy underbrush.

- Although I do not deem it necessary, I have thought it best to providesome means of fastening the edges of the upper wide portion C of thestrip C to the body of the shoe, as otherwise the edges of said wideportion would have a tendency to catch in the underbrush and retard themovements of the wearer. I have therefore secured in the edges of theside portion C of the strip C a number of springsockets 0 which areadapted to engage with resilient heads Z2 secured to the upper portionof the shoe, when the strip C is secured to the shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a shoe provided with a slit therein, of aplurality of fastening members secured along the edges of said slit, afastening-strip provided with a plurality of fastening members arrangedto cooperate with the fastening members along the edges of the slit inthe shoe, the upper portion of said strip being widened to extend aroundand form a protector for the upper portion of the foot, and means forsecuring the edges of said widened portion to the shoe.

2. The combination with a shoe provided with a slit therein, of aplurality of fastening members secured along the edges of said slit,

. a fastening-strip provided with a plurality of fastening membersarranged to cooperate with the fastening members along the edges of theslit in the shoe, said fastening-strip being formed with a lower portionjust wide enough to cover the slit and with a wide upper portion, saidwide upper portion being arranged to extend around and form a protectorfor the upper portion of the foot when the strip is secured upon theshoe, and cooperating fastening members secured in the edges of the wideupper portion of the strip and the shoe. In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MILTON DIGKSON. Witnesses:

F. R. GooDE, E. S. PARKS.

